How to Enter the Lost Woods & Find Korok Forest in Zelda: TOTK

Korok Forest is an iconic location in the Zelda series and reappears in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with a gloomy aesthetic.

Unfortunately, getting into Korok Forest and freeing it of the corrupting gloom is not a straightforward task.

Fortunately, we’ve laid out every step you need to take in order to save Korok Forest, including how to get there, who to fight, and the best way to win.

How to Get Through the Lost Woods in TOTK

The Lost Woods is located North of the Woodland Stable at the coordinates 0880, 1896, 0175.

However, unlike BOTW, which let players navigate the Lost Woods by following torches, you cannot access the Korok Forest via the Lost Woods in TOTK.

Instead, players will need to go underneath the Lost Woods through the Minshi Woods Chasm and ascend through the Depths.

Fortunately, we’ve covered the exact steps on how to do that in great detail below.

How Do You Get Into Korok Forest in TOTK?

You can only get to Korok Forest in Tears of the Kingdom by dropping into the Minshi Woods Chasm, going through the Depths, and Ascending up into the Forest.

You cannot access Korok Forest via the Lost Woods like you could in BOTW. If you try to, the thick fog will constantly send you back to the beginning.

Here is how you get to Korok Forest:

1. Head to the Minshi Woods Chasm. It is directly North of the Woodland Stable.
   • Coordinates 1057, 1661, 0162
2. Drop down into the Chasm and land in Minshi Grove.
   • Use the lights at the bottom to tell you when to deploy your paraglider.

3. Once you’ve landed, begin heading Northwest toward Korok Grove.
   • There are Poes (blue flames) guiding you there. You can also use the map below as guidance.
     • Don’t forget to throw or shoot Brightblooms to light your way.

4. Eventually, you’ll come across trees with faces and a large Poe on top.
5. Climb up them and use them to guide you along the path to avoid the Gloom below.
6. In the distance, you should start seeing a temple-like building partially lit up with a Lightroot near it. This is where you’re heading.
7. Continue heading that way until you reach the structure.

8. Stand on the sand underneath the structure and use the Ascend ability to go through the roof.
9. You will arrive in Korok Forest.

Of course, once you’ve reached Korok Forest, you’ll need to help save it from the Gloom. That way, you can unlock Hestu permanently and begin trading your Korok Seeds for extra inventory slots.

How to Save the Deku Tree & Clear Korok Forest of Gloom in TOTK

Once you’ve arrived in Korok Forest, head inside of the Deku Tree and drop down the Deku Tree Chasm. Inside you’ll fight Gloom Hands and then Phantom Ganon.

After you’ve defeated them, the Korok Forest will be cured of Gloom, and the Deku Tree will reward you with the Master Swords Location.

Before you head inside to fight Phantom Ganon, we highly encourage you to check out our Gloom Hands guide. This will help you defeat the Gloom Hands, which are a notoriously challenging foe.

You should also check out our Sundelion guide. This will help you make meals at the cooking pot just before the Chasm that will help you recover your broken hearts if you’re damaged by the Gloom Hands.

For a complete guide, continue reading:

1. Unlock the Musanokir Shrine to the left of the giant Deku Tree.
2. From the Musanokir Shrine, head underneath the branch leading up to the Deku Tree and up the ramp.
   • You should see three Korok standing on the ramp leading to the inside of the tree.

3. Inside the Deku Tree, you will see the Deku Tree Chasm. Jump down.
   • We encourage you to save at this point. Additionally, make sure to Fuse any of your weapons with your strongest materials and equip your best armor.

4. As soon as you jump down, the Gloom Hands will spawn. Defeat them as quickly as possible.
   • As you fall, let go of your paraglider when you see the Gloom Hands spawn and immediately aim an arrow to enter slow motion. Fire a Bomb Flower arrow or a Like Arrow to deal damage to all the Gloom Hands from above.

5. Once you’ve defeated the Gloom Hands, Phantom Ganon will spawn.
6. Here are some tips to help you defeat Phantom Ganon:
   • When he spawns, shoot him with Bomb Flower arrows or any other strong material.
   • Make sure to block his lunge attacks with your shield or dodge out of the way to do a Flurry Rush attack.
   • Phantom Ganon is surrounded by a small pool of Gloom that will damage you if you attack it up close.
     • The more you attack him, the more the gloom pool around him decreases. So, attack him as much as possible.

7. Once you’ve defeated Phantom Ganon, the Gloom in the Deku Tree will fade.
8. Fast travel back to the Musanokir Shrine.
9. Head up the branch to the Deku tree and talk to him.

10. You will be shown a brief cutscene about Link and Zelda.
11. Finally, the Deku Tree will tell you where the Master Sword is.